The Del Mar Horse Races Opening Day attracts over 50,000 people from all around San Diego and beyond each year and this year will be no different! Now ladies, if you’re wondering what to wear to Opening Day, click here, because this is our Men’s Style Guide! That’s right Men, we got you! With Del Mar horse races Opening Day fast approaching, we’ve been asked by more than plenty of males “what to wear” — from “what is the best hat”, “are colored pants appropriate”, or “tie or bow tie?” — and that’s why we’ve scoured lookbooks from top brands, interviewed the experts, and dug deep into race etiquette to bring you The Best Men’s Style Guide for Del Mar Horse Races Opening Day.
Spread the love and share the wealth with your guy friends so that they too can be stylish on Del Mar horse races opening day. And if you’re wondering where to purchase your Del Mar horse races Opening Day hat, well that’s easy, Carol Bader Design at Del Mar Hat Company is hands down your best bet!
Click here to purchase your Del Mar horse races Opening Day hat by Carol Bader Design
Editor’s Note: This Article has been updated to reflect Opening Day 2015 details. Get social with us leading up to and on Del Mar horse races Opening Day using the Official Hashtag #ODAP2015. You can also tweet us @nubry or mention us on Instagram @nubry with your style questions and we’ll answer back! Follow our style tips and fashion rules below and you’ll be perfect for The Turf Club at Del Mar horse Races Opening Day as well!
All hats featured are Carol Bader Design custom hats, available at Del Mar Hat Company. Call: 8884244287 to purchase.
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What To Wear To The Del Mar Horse Races Opening Day
SHOP This Hat: Carol Bader Design hat, call for pricing: 888.424.4287 | www.delmarhat.com or attend the Del Mar horse races Opening Day trunk show this weekend!
1. Men’s Suits Tips:
- Light colored suits or jackets are preferred
- Wear a suit or a sports jacket
- If wearing darker colors, make sure the fabric is summer weight, not wool
- Seersucker is always a classic, but make sure it’s been professionally steamed (no wrinkles please) — note: no ironing or pressing seersucker, fabric will be destroyed
- Pants should be white linen, khaki, light gray, or colored
- Shirts should be pastel colored or crisp white,
- 2 buttons on your sports coat, not 3
- Fasten only the top button of your sports coat; unfasten only when sitting
- Sleeves of your jacket should be shorter than your shirt’s sleeve length; allow quarter inch to half inch of shirt to show
- Pants should not be too long
- If you have a suit that doesn’t fit perfectly, you can get it tailored — the best suits are those that fit properly
2. What’s The Deal With Pocket Squares, Watches, Belts, Cufflinks, Sunglasses, and Tie Pins?
- Pocket squares can coordinate with your bow tie or tie
- For ideas on how to fold a pocket square, click here
- Cufflinks are a great touch
- Tie Pins also add old world style to your look.
- Match your watch strap to your shoes, unless if you have a metal band which goes with everything
- Belt should match your shoes
- Coordinate at least two pieces of your look to be safe. Know the rules before you break them!
- Never match your jacket and pants unless you bought them together. They will never match perfectly.
- Please no coordinated head to toe Wizard of Oz looks…this is reserved for clowns
- No neon or trendy, “music video” style sunglasses
- Classic plastic or metal rimmed sunglasses are appropriate
- Do not wear sunglasses inside The Turf Club at the Del Mar horse races
- You will need sunglasses for the Del Mar horse races after party, right before the sun sets
3. Whats Shoes and Socks Are Stylish?
- Ladies judge men based on their shoes first! No really!!
- Even if you do not have a brand new pair of shoes, they should look brand new
- Shine your shoes so that they look new (or else you’ll need to buy a brand new pair of shoes)
- No sneakers in the Turf Club, even Louboutin sneakers will not be allowed — if you really want to show your Louboutins off, do a shoe change before heading to the after party at L’Auberge Del Mar.
- Do not wear white socks — fun, printed, and/or colorful socks are in order
SHOP This Hat: Carol Bader Design hat, call for pricing: 888.424.4287 | www.delmarhat.com or attend the Del Mar horse races Opening Day trunk show this weekend!
4. Hat Tips — brought to you by Carol Bader Design:
Couture and custom hat designer, Carol Bader, shares her expert tips for men on choosing a hat style.
- Wear straw hats in summer (felt is a winter material!)
- Try to coordinate the hat band back to something in your outfit e.g. shirt stripe, tie, jacket, shoes, belt etc.
- Select a hat that fits — when on the head it should rest just above the ears (too high =too small and too low= too big)
- For a more styled look, turn it slightly to the side; straight ahead for a more serious look; when worn slightly back, it says “play time” and often this look communicates after-hours and a relaxed look
- A bigger man or face requires a slightly bigger brim, where a smaller man or narrow face usually does well with a smaller brim
- Try not to grab the hat at the crown (top) as it will show wear over time
- A great quality hat is a smart investment, so treat it right and it will be there for you on many occasions to come
- Be stylish, don’t be afraid to show some swag on a day like the Del Mar horse Races Opening Day — think dapper
4. Race Etiquette
- A stylish gent always trusts a lady’s advice when betting on a winner
- Coordinate your look with your date’s outfit, even if its just a pocket square or bow tie
- Reserve a table or seating area to keep your lady’s feet from aching
- Prepare yourself for Mint Juleps and other stiff drinks
SHOP This Hat: Carol Bader Design hat, call for pricing: 888.424.4287 | www.delmarhat.com or attend the Del Mar horse races Opening Day trunk show this weekend
For more Del Mar horse races Opening Day style tips, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter in the right hand sidebar above. For details on Carol Bader Design hats for the Del Mar horse races Opening Day, click here.
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